The day Someone Finally Saw
by itachikitsune
Summary: Neji and Shikamaru both wear masks to protect themselves. Shikamaru comes across Neji in a dire situation. Will they see past each others masks and Will they find family other then their own that's trustworthy? good Hiashi.
1. Chapter 1

Neji Hyuuga was a man of many talents. He came from a good village and a well respected clan. The Hyuuga clan. It was separated into two groups of people from the clan. The main house and the branch house. The problem was, the way the rest of the village and clan viewed those bred Into the clan. They viewed them as though they were cobblestone you could separate by color. Essentially, that's what they did.

Those born first were considered royalty. Those unlucky enough to be born second were considered a disgrace to the clan. They were than handed off and branded with the caged bird seal to protect the secrets of the clan. The main house's occupants were not branded as they were considered superior to other members. Even those born to the main family, were trained almost as soon as they could walk in the abilities and secrets of the clan. When you were tested, by a main clan member, and in company of the clan elders, it was crucial you passed. If not, you were thrown to an available sensei of the village.

It was almost war, daily in that clan. You had to be respected to survive. The clan elders were members of the main house. They were the cabinet of the clan. They sacrificed members of the clan as they saw fit like lambs to the slaughter.

This was part of the reason Neji was so emotionally unhinged. His father had willingly sacrificed himself to protect the main house of the clan. He hated that his father had abandoned him just to protect the clan. Neji acknowledged his fellow clan members, but showed nothing but the bare minimum of respect he was forced to show the main family. You see, the branch family was to serve the main family in anyway they deemed fit. He harbored a deep hatred for those of the main branch of the clan save for his cousin Hinata Hyuuga and his uncle Hiashi Hyuuga.

Hiashi Hyuuga acknowledged Neji and Hinata, but nothing more. He treated those he deemed as not having potential, as if they were cracked, useless pieces of glass to be thrown away. Neji at the moment, was behind the Hyuuga compound, working on his flexibility needed for the use of his clans bloodline limit, the Bykugan. The quick moves he was executing were beautifully intricate and graceful.

As he finished up with his routine, he felt the familiar thick, suffocating bubble of chakra that he associated with as a member of the Hyuuga clan. he tensed.

As the footsteps got closer, he came out of his stance and slowly turned around. His assumptions had been correct. " Well your the last person I want to see on these grounds." said one of the Hyuuga members. Neji stayed silent knowing that it would only anger the man if he spoke. Suddenly, the man rushed at him. chakra pouring out of him at an astonishing rate, all directed towards Neji. The man flew into a rage. Launching a series of jabs and close hits. Neji could do nothing but stand there, taking the onslaught as it came, and getting tossed around like a rag doll.

Finally, it ended. Neji was grateful. As he lay there on the ground, in a large rapidly spreading puddle of blood. He sighed, even though he was in excruciating pain. At the fact that he was once again, blind due to too many chakra jabs to the back of his neck. Though it wasn't too often he got hit, he did wind up with lasting damage that resulted in the occasional bouts of blindness.


	2. Chapter 2

After that, the man kept coming back. Neji figured it was just to watch him train, so he just brushed it off. Though careful not to reveal his full arsenal of jutsu and techniques. Neji became weary after awhile, as the man kept getting closer to him during his training sessions. The man started to randomly attack him as he was training. Neji couldn't figure out why. But as the attacks progressed, he finally realized. After the third attack, just why the man was after him. It was because he'd seen the chunin exams.

The man was angry, hate fueled his vicious and lethal attacks. Not only that, but Neji was one of the only two Hyuugas that had gotten the rank of chunin. Hinata was the other one, but only by a hair. This caused Neji to be subjected to a lot more attention then he wanted, or was comfortable with. From both the village and the clan elders.

The attacks continued, they were brutal. The worst of it, was that nobody from the clan saw. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. By this time, Neji almost continuously felt pain and was constantly bleeding. Honestly, he was surprised he wasn't bloodless. At the present time, Neji was sprawled out on the ground. In the same spot he was in when he first had the stuffing knocked out of him by the rival clan member. The fact was, the man hated those of the branch family. As it was, Neji was the target for this man's, gut wrenching, limb dismembering, all consuming hatred. Because of his studying of the main house's techniques, he was well versed in most jutsu from the main branch of the clan. The most common mistake every outside force made, was the thought that the branch side of the family wasn't taught anything except the bare minimum of jutsu from the clan. If you knew how to silently observe, you learned quite a bit.

Suddenly, Neji felt a chakra signature closing in on him rapidly as if the person was in a hurry. Recognition bloom across his face as he felt the slow wave wash over him. It was Shikamaru Nara. Neji was desperate for help, but he knew that he couldn't get it on Hyuuga grounds, let alone behind the main compound. He knew what he was about to do was dangerous, he knew he might be betrayed, but had to take that risk. So he sent out a burst of chakra.

Shikamaru stopped as he felt chakra slam into him. It knocked him off his feet. He back flipped in mid air and landed in a crouch, scanning the area in front of him. Trying to figure out where the chakra surge had came from. He straightened up and looked around. He than realized just where he was. He was right outside Hyuuga grounds. Now that he knew, he started walking forwards.

He than stopped. He felt a large amount of chakra covering a mass area. He realized, that the Hyuuga compound he was near, had seals. Once he saw that, he knew he could go no further. Neji on the other hand, contemplated on how to get out of the seals that surrounded all Hyuuga compounds. He than realized. He had to crawl close enough to the edge he could than jump.

He than begun the painful task of rolling over. Once he was on his stomach, he started crawling. He scraped up his arms and legs in the process. But finally, he made it. He than begun the painful task of rising to his knees. Slowly, he rose until he was on his hands and knees. Once there, he shifted until he was in a play bow position.

He launched himself. He almost screamed in agony as he went through the dome of chakra. It stung like acid, tearing at his skin, and pricked him like a barrage of needles from all directions.


	3. Chapter 3

Once Neji was out of the barrier, he saw Shikamaru was close enough to grab onto. He wrapped his arms around Shikamaru's neck, holding on for dear life. Shikamaru in turn, wrapped his arms around Neji's waist. They went tumbling down, in an uncontrolled, graceless heap. They both felt pain. Shikamaru rolled over as he had landed on Neji.

Shikamaru climb into a standing position. as he looked down at Neji on the ground, he was surprised to hear severely labored breathing. He pulled Neji to his feet. As he saw Neji's face, he realized anything Neji had to tell him was an S-class secret. Once Neji was standing, his eyes flitted around. Scanning the area at rapid speed, as if afraid something was going to jump out at him. Being so close to where they were, Shikamaru didn't doubt it. He knew the perfect place to go. He turned around and flew though about thirty five hand signs finally ending on the ram. Neji at some point during the process, had put his hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. They disappeared in a puff of smoke.

They appeared in a forest. Shikamaru turned back around. When he faced Neji, he saw he was swaying on his feet. He stepped up to Neji and slipped his arms around him, bringing him into a hug. He then slowly lowered him into a sitting position on the ground.

" How sealed is this place?" asked Neji. It was the first time Shikamaru had heard Neji speak. " It's sealed. No one can get in unless they can do a specific set of 35 hand signs ending on the ram." said Shikamaru. Neji was relieved at this and relaxed his muscles. " Alright, what's going on Neji?" asked Shikamaru. " Promise me you will not say a word to anyone about what you hear unless I'm with you and I tell you to." said Neji. Shikamaru wondered just how bad it was.

" I won't say a word." said Shikamaru. The henge jutsu Neji had on for so long finally dropped. Shikamaru stepped back in shock as he saw the extent of the damage. Neji aware of the scrutiny he was under, didn't move a muscle. Suddenly, Neji heard footsteps. He slowly lifted his head. " Please let me help you." was the only thing Shikamaru said. " Alright." said Neji. As he went to lean back, he'd found that Shikamaru had at some point, sat down behind him.

Shikamaru decided to start with the worst of it and got to work on his lower back. As soon as he felt that tingling sensation along his back, his head snapped up. " You know medical ninjutsu." Said Neji.

" Yes I do." said Shikamaru. " One of the main branch clan members attacked me while I was training behind the main compound." said Neji. " The member saw the chunin exams and ever since, he's been attacking me. It's taboo in my clan for branch members to learn the main branch's techniques." " And no one saw because?" asked Shikamaru. " Because, there are two sets of seals. There's one surrounding the compound and there's a second one surrounding the training grounds it's self." said Neji.

"But wouldn't they still see?" asked Shikamaru. "No they wouldn't, the seals pour out a massive amount of chakra so it just looks like a wall of pure chakra to outsiders." said Neji. " Great." said Shikamaru. Sarcastically. As he let his hand rest on Neji's neck, he felt a bulge. Shikamaru felt an almost untamed rage towards whoever did this. He realized Neji was blind because of a chakra jab to the neck. He applied chakra to the bulge.

As he felt around the bulge, he guessed that it had happened too many time for medical treatment. He'd let it heal on it's own.


	4. Chapter 4

He realized, that blood had centered on the almost completely severed vain in the back of his neck. " How has no one noticed this?" asked. An enraged Shikamaru. " The color of my eyes hides it well enough and nobody has tried to look." ,said Neji. Slightly scared at the anger in Shikamaru's tone. " No one in your clan noticed?" asked Shikamaru. As he massaged Neji's neck. " No because I keep a large amount of chakra centered just behind my eyes just in case I need to activate my bloodline limit." said Neji. " So how do you get around?" asked Shikamaru. He was curious.

Neji's hand slid in to his hair. He pulled out the hair tie. He reached up and felt the familiar knot of his headband and started to untie it. Shikamaru wondered what he was doing. " Can you hold this?" asked Neji. As he stuck his hand out with the hair tie in Shikamaru's general direction. Shikamaru took the hair tie from him. The headband fell and Shikamaru caught it. " Are you sure your not mad at me for telling you all this and not saying anything to anyone in the village?" asked Neji. " Trust me on this I will keep this a secret" said Shikamaru. Neji took a breath, and went through ten hand signs.

Suddenly, Neji took in a sharp breath. Shikamaru stood and walked around to stand in front of Neji . He lightly dropped to his knees in front of him. He wrapped his arms around Neji. As he did, he felt him lean into the touch like a cat. He realized Neji was starved for affection. He wasn't really surprised, seeing as in that clan you had to be perfect. " What are you doing?" asked Shikamaru. " I activated my curse mark." said Neji. " How did you know the hand signs?" asked Shikamaru. " They're not really observant when they are torturing a fellow branch member on the training ground." said Neji.

" Wouldn't they know a branch member was using the curse jutsu?" asked Shikamaru. " No, they wouldn't expect a branch member to know the hand signs needed." said Neji. " Stop it, stop degrading your self. Just because you a Hyuuga, does not mean your emotionless." said Shikamaru. Angrily. " But I'm supposed to be." said Neji. Quietly. " No your not. Let it go Neji. I will not judge you here. I will be your shoulder to cry on when you need it." said Shikamaru.

Neji started shaking. Silent sobs wracked his body. Shikamaru was furious with Neji's clan. Shikamaru understood Neji had to protect himself emotionally. After all, Neji had enemies both in and out of the clan. But what Shikamaru couldn't understand, was why Hiashi hadn't noticed. He knew Hyuugas prided themselves on being able to read people. Neji especially. He knew it wasn't easy for Neji to let someone be there for him. He knew Neji didn't want his pity. But he also knew Neji needed someone there. He knew it was hard to emotionally let yourself fall because no one wanted to catch you. He knew that feeling. Shikamaru knew Neji couldn't let go because it was ingrained in him from practically the get go that he needed to be emotionless. But he vowed to be Neji's silent, none judge mental shoulder to lean and cry on.

Shikamaru snapped out of his musings as he felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around him and a head nestle under his chin. Neji finally gave in. He sobbed loudly. Shikamaru just sat there. Holding him and letting him release his burdens. Shikamaru ran hand though Neji's hair. Scratching it like he would a cat. After fifteen minutes, he stopped sobbing.

" Nara, you tell anyone I let you scratch me I will cause you immense pain." said Neji. Shikamaru laughed. " Sure Neji." said Shikamaru. Still chuckling. " Can you help me up?" asked Neji timidly. Shikamaru once again grabbed Neji in a hug and slowly rose to his feet. When Shikamaru let go, Neji swayed. Shikamaru's arms were back around him in a second. " I need to be able to make hand signs." said Neji.


	5. Chapter 5

Shikamaru let go of Neji and walked around to stand behind him. Shikamaru wrapped his arms around Neji's waist. " Lean on me." said Shikamaru. Neji did. He let his head fall back onto Shikamaru's shoulder. He lifted his first two fingers and brought them to his forehead right next to his curse mark.

He channeled chakra through his fingertips to his forehead in a steady amount. Shikamaru let his arms drop from Neji's waist. He moved to his side and put his hand on the underside of Neji's arm in a gentle, supportive grip. Neji then went through five hand signs.

There was a puff of smoke and as it cleared Shikamaru could make out a shape. It was a hound. Like the Inuzuka had as their partners. The hound was the size of Akamaru, kiba's hound. It walked up to Neji and looked at him. " Nice to see you Diamond." said Neji. Shikamaru couldn't believe the hound was Neji's. "Can he talk?" asked Shikamaru. "No he can't talk" said Neji. " I feel a layer of chakra covering him." said Shikamaru. " That's because it's a henge." said Neji. And with that, he broke the henge.

There was another puff of smoke and this time, Shikamaru's mouth went slack jawed. The hound's fur was a combination of black and brown. " The color of the fur sets him apart from them to begin with. When did you get him?" asked Shikamaru " When I was out on a mission with my team, I found him in a bush. He's a ninja hound by the way. He took an instant liking to me. So I brought him home and trained him. I had to hide him. I needed him when I went blind. So I looked for scroll that had instructions on how to create a seal so I could have him on me. I also have a summoning contract with him." said Neji.

" How do you communicate with him if he doesn't talk?" asked Shikamaru. " That reminds me, can I have my hair tie back ?" asked Neji. Shikamaru handed him the hair tie. He watched as Neji applied chakra to the hair tie. There was a puff of smoke and in his hand, lay a dark brown collar. " Can you hold onto me for a second?" asked Neji. Shikamaru tightened his grip. Neji let out a short whistle and Diamond jumped up on his hind legs and rested his front paws on Neji's shoulders. Neji slipped the collar on his neck. There was a pulse of chakra that Shikamaru realized came from Diamond. " So how does this work the communicating thing?" asked Shikamaru " Chakra bursts. If I have him out, he can warn me by a chakra burst." said Neji. He let out another short whistle and Diamond backed up and dropped back to all fours. " Does he bark?" asked Shikamaru. " Yes he does. Go ahead and pet him, he needs to know you anyway." said Neji.

Shikamaru let go of Neji. Shikamaru walked forward and hesitantly held his hand out to Diamond. Diamond sniffed Shikamaru's hand and licked him. " Diamond if I ever need help from someone in the village you go to him." said Neji. " He's pretty tame." said Shikamaru. Neji just nodded. " Is this whole forest sealed?" asked Neji. " Yes." said Shikamaru. " Do you mind if I train?" asked Neji. " No I don't mind, but how are you going to train?" asked Shikamaru. Neji didn't answer. He took off, Diamond by his side.

Shikamaru was amazed Neji could still move so fast despite being blind. Shikamaru just about had a heart attack, when he saw Neji was heading in the direct path of a tree. His fears however, were unfounded. Neji ran up the tree. Once up high enough, he jumped to the next branch. He continued to jump from branch to branch. After awhile, he stopped. " Where is he Diamond?" asked Neji. Diamond sent out a chakra burst, pinpointing where Shikamaru was.


	6. Chapter 6

Shikamaru turned around when he heard Neji land behind him. A second later, Diamond landed at Neji's side." So what's the collar for?" asked Shikamaru. "It's to hide that he has chakra of his own. Because the Inuzuka have a bond with there partners, the dogs leach chakra off their owners." said Neji. " So what your saying, is that because they're bonded, they share their owners chakra reserves?" questioned Shikamaru. " Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." said Neji. " So what makes him different?" asked Shikamaru. " I gave him some of my chakra. What makes him different is that, at first, we were bonded as the Inuzuka were. But as time went on, the bond gradually dissolved and the chakra I lent him grew until he had chakra reserves of his own." said Neji.

" So does he lose chakra like we do?" asked Shikamaru. " Yes he does." said Neji. " So how does he move so fast?" asked Shikamaru. " Natural endurance. He can run the speed of a ninja hound without using chakra as can I." said Neji. Shikamaru couldn't believe what he was hearing. For Neji to be able to move that fast meant that he had to have Diamond out. But for that to happen, he would have to have a secure place to practice in without the threat of someone discovering them or interference. "So how did you train him if you couldn't have him in the Hyuuga compound?" asked Shikamaru.

" We need to go to my sealed spot do you want to come?" asked Neji. Shikamaru nodded. Neji once again, lifted his first two fingers and put them to his forehead. He channeled chakra through them to his forehead where Diamond's seal was located. And with a puff of smoke Diamond was gone. Neji went through the same amount of hand signs Shikamaru did. " Grab on." was all Neji said. Shikamaru did and they were gone in a puff of smoke .

They landed in a dense forest with a mass amount of thick trees. Neji went through another five hand signs. With yet another puff of smoke, there Diamond stood. " How sealed is this place?" asked Shikamaru. " Very sealed. You can't get in unless you do a set of 20 hand signs shown to you by me." said Neji. " Alright do you mind if I train?" asked Shikamaru " No I don't mind." said Neji. As he sat on the ground.

Shikamaru walked a little ways out from where Neji was propped up against a tree trunk. He glanced back at Neji from where he was standing, and saw Diamond had his head in Neji's lap and Neji was petting him. " Neji promise me what you see here will go no further and no one is to know unless I am with you and tell you." said Shikamaru. " You have my word." said Neji. Shikamaru released the henge he too was wearing.

Neji's mouth dropped open. Shikamaru was wearing a dark red cloak that was almost black that reached to just above his ankles. He wore another cloak that was black. It was attached to him by a clasp about the neck. The clasp was dark purple and was in the shape of a wolf. His hair was straight and reached down to about the middle of his back. " How long have you hidden yourself and does anyone else know?" asked Neji. Shikamaru turned around to face Neji.

" No one else knows. Not even my clan." said Shikamaru. " Please move Diamond." said Neji. He moved and Neji stood. He walked over to where Shikamaru was standing. He embraced Shikamaru tightly and brought them both down to the ground on their knees. " What happened Shikamaru?" asked Neji. " When we all went on that mission to retrieve the dark blue haired fool, my dad at the end, waited till we left. And he insulted me. Telling me all the mistakes I'd made during the mission. He blamed me for all you guy's injuries not including my own. He told me I was a disgrace to the clan. He kept telling me he'd have never made such mistakes. From that point, on my mother been wishing she had a girl instead of me." said Shikamaru.


End file.
